Trina

"I'm still the same girl... just more mature. I got a lot of hot joints talking about, you know, the money, the jewelry, the sex... but it's just in a whole other way." -Trina

First exploding onto the hip-hop scene with the backing of Missy Elliott and Ludacris, Trina's debut album, Da Baddest B***h, establish her as an empowered woman in the same vein as Foxy Brown and Lil' Kim. Her latest album, Diamond Princess, further cements Trina as a rap artist unafraid to push the envelope.

SEX APPEAL

This shorty is fiiiiiine! If anyone has seen the cover for Trina's latest album, not much more needs to be said. A curvaceous but tiny hottie, she oozes sexuality with her bikini wear, lustful gaze and downright erotic lyrics. There is little more one can ask for from this rap diva; as long as she shows more skin than clothing, we're extremely happy.

SUCCESS

Like many of her counterparts (Ashanti in particular), Trina established her name out by appearing on more accomplished artists' albums. Rap star Trick Daddy provided her with the boost, as she was featured on a couple of his hit songs. Fans began begging for more of Trina's edgy lyrics and, responding to the demand, Slip-N-Slide Records signed the Miami-born rapper.

The result was Da Baddest B***h, which was released in March 2000. Filled with unprecedented attitude and a style akin to Lil' Kim's (with an added Southern twang), the album did fairly well behind the success of scandalous tracks like "69 Ways" and the inspirational "Mama." She continued to collaborate with big-timers and generated many hits, including Missy Elliott's "One Minute Man."

As she joined the Jingle Ballers Tour with other headline acts like Nelly and Lil' Kim, it seemed Trina could handle all the success coming her way, as new singles kept being released. In between her two albums, the popular track "Told Y'all," from the All About the Benjamins soundtrack, garnered her more fans and motivated her to create Diamond Princess in just four months ("Told Y'all" was also on the album).

Her second album spawned hits like "No Panties," which features another Southern belle -- Tweet -- and "B R Right" with Ludacris. Following in the footsteps of other rap stars like Jay-Z and P. Diddy, Trina, albeit on a smaller scale, has dipped her toes in the clothing industry with her own line, Diamond Princess Wear, which is set for release in fall 2003.

With the support of other successful artists, Trina is enjoying a fruitful career flaunting her body and spewing controversial lyrics. Part rebel, part sex symbol, she has come a long way in the rap scene.

Trina Biography

Born in Miami in 1978, Katrina Laverne (a.k.a. Trina) had dreams of working in the entertainment industry since childhood, while enduring some tough times. But only after being recruited by some of the city's young rap stars did Trina consider a career in music. It was Trick Daddy, a gold-toothed rapper from Miami, who ultimately helped her on her way to stardom.

the tricks up trina's sleeve

Appearing on Trick Daddy's hit "Nann N***a," Trina's raw style caught the ear of those in the know. The Slip-N-Slide record label noticed her talent and rising popularity and continued to team her up with the fellow Miami native (especially on his album, Thugs R Us). It did not take long before the label saw enough potential to sign Trina to her own deal. She represented a fresh, rugged look that was part of a new wave of women rappers, a group that already included Lil' Kim, Da Brat and Foxy Brown.

With her wild nature and rebellious lyrics, it was obvious Trina could not be contained and merely featured on other people's albums for much longer. Her debut, 2000's Da Baddest B***h gained recognition, thanks in part to its sexual lyrics and profanity-laced tracks. It was a direct response to the male-dominated rap industry that was known for objectifying women in many hit songs.

getting nasty

Powered by the title track and "69 Ways," her gold-certified debut signified that there was finally a strong female voice hailing from the rap-intensive South. She continued to show off her bootylicious self on the Jingle Ballers Tour, which included a slew of other hot hip-hop acts like Nelly and Lil' Kim.

Between touring in November 2000, Trina added her voice to many remixes, including Missy Elliott's "One Minute Man" and Ludacris' "What's Your Fantasy." Both songs were big hits and helped build the hype for the next Trina album. In the meantime, "Told Y'all," a release from the All About the Benjamins soundtrack, put her high up on the charts once again.

a diamond in the rough

After four months of studio time, Trina introduced a much bigger fan base to Diamond Princess. But this time around, she had established herself enough to command respect in the recording studio and call some shots. Diamond Princess was released in August 2002, and the songs "No Panties" and "B R Right" are still receiving major airplay. Pleasing fans even more (and surely winning over some new ones), Trina posed ever so beautifully for the cover of Source magazine's swimsuit issue.

Trina's entrepreneurial spirit was still not quenched after Diamond Princess, so she decided to make her famous styles available to the public. DP Wear (Diamond Princess Wear) became a pet project that evolved into a fully credible fashion line, which is expected to hit stores in the fall of 2003. Now women everywhere could wear the short shorts and itty-bitty bra tops that Trina has made famous.

quelling critics and still thriving

Maintaining that she is in fact different from the persona she puts on for her shows, Trina has recently had to deal with many rumors about her sexuality, and controversy concerning her lyrics. Through it all, she has kept her composure like a true professional and continues to concentrate on making great music. We only hope she continues to stay in the spotlight, because we can't go too long without a Trina "fix."